Lock for wrenches



Sept. 16-, l 947. R. H. KERSH'AW 2,427,608

LOOK FOR WRENCHES Filed Oct. 18, 1944 IN VEN TOR.

'PoerfH Ker/ au) eggg Patented Sept. 16, 1947 UNTTED STATES PATENTOFFICE LOOK FOR WRENCHES Robert H. Kershaw, Long Beach, Calif.

Application October 18, 1944, Serial No. 559,273

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in wrenches and more particularlyto those wrenches known as adjustable end wrenches, and often calledcrescent wrenches.

One of the important objects of the present invention is to provide alocking device for holding the jaws of the wrench in their adjustedposition, against accidental movement.

More particularly the present invention embodies certain improvementsover the locking device embodied in my copending application, SerialNumber 508,000, filed October 28, 1943.

A further object is to provide a wrench in which the locking means canbe incorporated into the wrench structure without necessitating anymodification of the parts of the wrench.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification and in which likereference characters designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a crescent type wrench showing. thelocking device in its inoperative position; 7

Figure 2 is a similar view, disclosing the looking device in itsoperative position, whereby the rotatable worm is locked againstrotation and the jaws of the wrench held in their adjusted position;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken approximately on the line33 .of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through the locking device per se.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration, is shown thepreferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral I designates generallyan adjustable end Wrench, often called a crescent wrench, the samecomprising a handle .2 having an enlarged head or body 3 formed on oneend thereof.

A fixed or stationary jaw A is carried by the head or body 3 whichcooperates with the movable jaw 5, mounted on the web portion 6. Thisweb portion is slidable in the transverse slot 1 formed in the outerface of the head or body 3. A rack 8 is carried by the inner or lowerportion of the web 6 and the inner portion of the slot 1 is enlarged toaccommodate the rack 8.

A substantially rectangular shaped opening 9 is formed in the enlargedhead or body 3. This opening communicates with the bottom of the 2extends into this opening, as clearly shown in the drawing.

slot 1 and the toothed portion of the rack 8 A pin or crew l 0 extendstransversely through the central portion of the opening 9 and journaledfor rotation on this pin in the opening 9 is the knurled worm 12. Theworm l2 cooperates with the rack 8 for moving the jaw 5 toward or awayfrom the fixed jaw 4, in the manner and for the purpose well known inthe art.

My improved locking device comprises a disclike member I2 formed ofspring steel. This disc-like member is formed with a central opening iswhereby the member may be mounted for rotation on the transverse pin Inbetween the inner end of the worm I l and the adjacent side wall I4 ofthe opening 9. The inner end of the worm H is spaced from the adjacentside wall of the opening to accommodate the locking device.

A knurled flange I5 is formed around the major portion of the peripheryof the disc-like member [2 to facilitate manual rotation of the lockingdevice in the manner to be presently described.

Forming a salient part of the locking device is the spring tooth l6 thatextends at an obtuse angle from the unfianged periphery of the disclikemember I2.

Also forming an important part of the locking device is the stop formingelement ll that extends laterally from the disc-like member I2 adjacentto the angularly disposed spring tooth I6.

The operation of the improved locking device may be briefly stated asfollows: With the locking device disposed in the position shown inFigure l, the spring locking tooth is in its inoperative position, outof contact with the inner side wall IA of the opening 9. When in thisposition, the locking device will not interfere with the free rotationof the knurled worm H. The knurled Worm may then be freely rotated bythe fingers of the user to move the jaws 5 toward or away from thestationary jaw 4, until the proper adjustment of the jaws has beenattained.

Then the knurled flange l5 of the disc-like member I2 is grasped and thedisc-like member is rotated on the pin it; so as to move the springtooth it upwardly into the opening 9 until this tooth is brought intowedging engagement between the inner end of the worm H and the side wallH! of the opening 9.

When the locking device is in the position shown in Figure 2 of thedrawing, the worm II will be locked against rotation, thereby holdingthe jaws in their properly adjusted position against accidentalmovement.

The stop element l1 cooperates with the face of the head or body 3 tolimit the rotation of the disc-like member I2 in either direction, tohold the locking device in either an operative or inoperative position.

M improved locking device can be operated from either side of the wrenchwith equal facilit and will, at all times be positive and efficient incarrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is:

1. In an adjustable wrench, a body having a fixed jaw thereon, aslidable jaw mounted in said body, a toothed rack carried by theslidable jaw, said body having an enlarged opening formed therein, theside faces of the opening being straight and smooth, a pin extendingtransversely through the opening, a worm positioned in said opening andjournaled for rotation on said pin, said worm cooperating with thetoothed rack for moving the slidable jaw with respect to the fixed jaw,the inner end of the worm being straight and smooth and being spacedfrom the adjacent side wall of the opening in the body, a disc-likemember rotatably mounted on the pin and disposed between the inner endof the worm and the adjacent side wall of the opening in the body, and aspring tooth formed on the disc-like member adapted to wedge between theinner end of the worm and the adjacent side wall of the opening whensaid member is moved in one direction to lock the worm against rotationand hold the slidable jaw in its adjusted position.

2. In an adjustable wrench, a body having a fixed jaw thereon, aslidable jaw mounted in said body, a toothed rack carried by theslidable jaw, said body having an enlarged opening formed therein, theside faces of the opening bieing straight and smooth, a pin extendingtransversely through the opening, a worm positioned in said opening andjournaled for rotation on said pin, said worm cooperating with thetoothed rack for moving the slidable jaw with respect to the fixed jaw,the inner end of the worm being straight and smooth and being spacedfrom the adjacent side wall of the opening in the body, a disc-likemember rotatably mounted on the pin and disposed between the inner endof the worm and the adjacent side wall of the opening in the body, aspring tooth formed on the disc-like member adapted to wedge between theinner end of the worm and the adjacent side wall of the opening whensaid member is moved in one direction to lock the worm against rotationand hold the slidable jaw in its adjusted position, and a stop formingelement carried by the disc-like member cooperating with the face of thebody for limiting the rotation of the disc-like member in eitherdirection.

3. In an adjustable wrench, a body having a fixed jaw thereon, aslidable jaw mounted in said body, a toothed rack carried by theslidable jaw, said body having an enlarged opening formed therein, theside faces of the opening being straight and smooth, a pin extendingtransversely through the opening, a worm positioned in said opening andjournaled for rotation on said pin, said worm cooperating with thetoothed raolg ro moving the slidable jaw with respect to the fixed jaw,the inner end of the worm being straight and smooth and being spacedfrom the adjacent side wall of the opening in the body, a disc-likemember rotatably mounted on the pin and disposed between the inner endof the worm and the adjacent side wall of the opening in the body, saiddisc-like member being formed of spring steel, an angularly disposedtooth formed on the periphery of the disc-like member and adapted towedge between the inner end of the worm and the adjacent side wall ofthe opening in the body when the disc-like member is moved to oneposition to lock the worm against rotation and hold the slidable jaw inits adjusted position.

4. In an adjustable wrench, a body having a fixed jaw thereon, aslidable jaw mounted in said body, a toothed rack carried by theslidable jaw, said body having an enlarged opening formed therein, theside faces of the opening being straight and smooth, a pin extendingtransversely through the opening, a worm positioned in said opening andjournaled for rotation on said pin, said worm cooperating with thetoothed rack for moving the slidable jaw with respect to y the fixedjaw, the inner end of the Worm being straight and smooth and beingspaced from the adjacent side wall of the opening in the body, adisc-like member rotatably mounted on the pin and disposed between theinner end of the worm and the adjacent side wall of the opening in thebody, said disc-like member being formed of spring steel, an angularlydisposed tooth formed on the periphery of the disc-like member andadapted to wedge between the inner end of the worm and the adjacent sidewall of the opening in the body when the disc-like member is moved toone position to lock the Worm against rotation and hold the slidable jawin its adjusted position, and a stop forming element projectinglaterally from the disc-like member for cooperation with the face of thebody to limit the rotation of the disc-like member in either direction.

5. In an adjustable wrench, a body having a fixed jaw thereon, aslidable jaw mounted in said body, a toothed rack carried by theslidable jaw, said body having an enlarged opening formed therein, a pinextending transversely through the opening, a worm positioned in saidopening and journaled for rotation on said pin, said worm cooperatingwith the toothed rack for moving the slidable jaw with respect to thefixed jaw, the inner end of the worm being spaced from the adjacent sidewall of the opening in the body, a disc-like member rotatably mounted onthe pin and disposed between the inner end of the worm and the adjacentside wall of the opening in the body, said disc-like member being formedof spring steel, a knurled actuating flange formed on the periphery ofthe disc-like member, and an angularly disposed tooth projecting fromthe periphery of the disc-like member and adapted to wedge between theinner end of the worm and the adjacent side wall of the opening in thebody when the disc-like member is rotated to its operative position tolock the worm against rotation and hold the slidable jaw in its adjustedposition.

6. In an adjustable wrench, a body having a fixed jaw thereon, aslidable jaw mounted in said body, a toothed rack carried by theslidable jaw, said body having an enlarged opening formed therein, a pinextending transversely through the opening, a worm positioned in saidopening and journaled for rotation on said pin, said worm cooperatingwith the toothed rack for moving the slidable jaw with respect to thefixed jaw, the inner end of the worm being spaced from the adjacent sidewall of the opening in the body, a disc-like member rotatably mounted onthe pin and disposed between the inner end of the worm and the adjacentside wall of the opening in the body, said disc-like member being formedof spring steel, a knurled actuating flange formed on the periphery ofthe disc-like member, an angularly disposed tooth projecting from theperiphery of the disc-like member and adapted to wedge between the innerend of the worm and the adjacent side wall of the opening in the bodywhen the disc-like member is rotated to its operative position to lockthe worm against rotation and hold the slidable jaw in its adjustedposition, and a stop forming element projecting laterally from thedisc-like member adjacent the angularly disposed tooth for cooperationwith the 6 face of the body to limit the rotation of the disclike memberto an operative or inoperative position.

ROBERT H. KERSHAW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

